What you need to know
Reba McEntire fondly remembers her late son-in-law Brandon Blackstock.
Months after her talent manager’s death on Aug. 7, McIntyre, who was previously married to her father, Narvel Blackstock, opened up to People about her relationship with him in this week’s cover story.
“My relationship with my son-in-law Brandon Blackstock was priceless,” McIntyre, 70, says of Blackstock, who is also Kelly Clarkson’s ex-husband. “I really loved the child. I think he was four years old when he came into my life. Later, when Navel and I got married, he was 13 or 14.”
She continued, “I helped raise him with his mom and dad, along with[stepchildren]Shauna and Chassidy. They were my children.”
Reba McIntyre/Instagram
Recalling things at home, the Happy’s Place star said Blackstock was “very funny” and liked to “play pranks”.
“He liked scaring people,” McIntyre says. “We were in the Starstruck offices in Nashville (which Narvel owned) and I was sitting at my desk and I saw Penny Chubb (a Starstruck Entertainment employee) go into the ladies’ room. Then Brandon came in and he was hiding behind a pillar.”
The Happy’s Place actress added, “We will miss Brandon so much. His mischievous spirit and love of life will be truly missed. He brought joy to everyone who met him, and we will never forget him.”
People confirmed that Blackstock died of malignant melanoma on August 7, a day after Clarkson revealed he was ill.
“It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away,” a representative for the family told PEOPLE in a statement at the time. “Brandon bravely battled cancer for over three years. He passed away peacefully surrounded by his family. We appreciate everyone’s thoughts and prayers and ask everyone to respect the family’s privacy during this extremely difficult time.”
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McIntyre and Narvell, who have a son, Shelby, 35, married in 1989 and were married for 26 years before divorcing in 2015. Years later, in October 2021, McIntyre told Entertainment Tonight that Brandon was her “son.”
“He’s my son-in-law, but I still love him with everything in me, like my blood,” she said.
On August 12, just days after Brandon’s death, McIntyre posted a tribute to Brandon on Instagram.
Reba McIntyre/Instagram
“Last week, my son-in-law and oldest son, Brandon Blackstock, went home to God. His fight is over and he is in eternal peace with God,” McIntyre wrote alongside a photo of himself and Brandon.
“There is no one else like him and I am grateful for the time we spent together,” she continued. “His legacy and laughter will be passed on to his family. Rest in peace, Cowboy. May we live happily ever after until we meet again.”
For more on McIntyre, pick up this week’s issue of PEOPLE, available on newsstands everywhere Friday.
